Fans on their own quest

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Kids go crazy as they wait in line for for author Emily Rodda to sign copies of her new book.Photo: Jane Dyson

Australia's award-winning and biggest-selling children's author, Emily Rodda was in demand at the Sydney International Children's Festival at Homebush yesterday.

Amid performances and kids' activites for all ages, children lined up to buy the first available copies of her The Sister of the South, the final instalment in the long-running Deltora Quest series.

It is not available in bookshops until early next month.

The fantasy series, based around tales of the "Deltora" dragons, has sold more than 4 million copies in Australia, overtaking Harry Potter on bestseller lists around the country since late last year.

Based around tales of "the Deltora dragons", the fantasy style books are published in over 20 countries.

Emily Rodda (also known by her real name of Jennifer Rowe) and the Deltora Quest series illustrator, Marc McBride, will again sign books from 11am today while Andy Griffiths, author of the controversial The Bad Book, will also be at the festival.